Martinique 0 (4)-0 (3) Guadeloupe

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua (August 27, 2023)—Penalty shootout heroics by Martinique’s Louisiane Rene-Corail lifted her team to a 4-3 victory as the French Overseas Territories Martinique and Guadeloupe clashed for the second time in a week, this time with the Tier II Championship honors of the 2025 CFU Girls’ U14 Challenge Series on the line.

The match, which ended scoreless at the end of regulation, began as a cautious affair as both teams played well within themselves, trying to minimize mistakes. Guadeloupe was the first to make a tactical change and adopted a high press, attempting to win possession in dangerous areas, creating a few nervy moments for the Martinique defense.

Lea Pheron, as in her previous matches, looked to leave her imprint on the game, engineering her team’s attack from midfield. Martinique dropped bodies behind the ball, looking to play on the counterattack. The cooling break saw Martinique increase their intensity, and they caught the Guadeloupe defense pushed up high in the 22’. But Samira Lamy had her shot saved by Lou-Anne Angol. Angol had to be quick off her line two minutes later to smother a Chaina Marous effort after the forward was played in on goal.

Pheron looked to take the game by the scruff of the neck with her decisive running and quick footwork in the center of the park.  The influential midfielder saw her 32’ long distance free-kick narrowly go over the crossbar after Rene-Corail looked to be beaten. Fortune smiled on Martinique again a few minutes later when a superb Keliah Joyeux strike rebounded off the crossbar and Lea Louis was unable to put the rebound home, leaving the score line level at the halftime break.

The second half resumed with Guadeloupe going on the front foot, attacking in numbers.  Martinique again settled into a compact shape limiting the spaces for the technical Guadeloupe players to operate in.  Emile Etenne could have broken the deadlock in the 45’, but she was unable to capitalize on an errant distribution by Rene-Corail.

Pheron was in on the action again, arriving late into the penalty area on a Joyeux in-swinging corner, but she had her effort destined for the bottom corner cleared away by the Martinique defense in the 57’. 

Martinique scrambled a dangerous cross away from danger in the 70’ as Guadeloupe threw everything at them. Joyeux thought she had given her team the victory in stoppage time but saw another effort bounce off the crossbar much to the relief of the Martinique contingent.

That action brought the match to an end and heralded in a penalty shootout to determine the Tier II champions.

Martinique kicked first and converted through Dayan Saint-Just. Pheron stepped up for Guadeloupe but Rene-Corail pulled off an early save to give her team the advantage.

The teams traded goals with Tessa Dorville, Lya Montout and Celine Valentine all scoring. Lea Louis stepped up to keep Guadeloupe in the match, but Rene-Corail dived smartly to her right to come up with her second save in the shootout.

Eventually, Lisa Durimel and Leina Honorin rounded off the scoring, but it was Rene Corail coming up trumps leading her team to the championship.